gamified meal planner for sustainable and Healthy eating

🌱 Root - The Duolingo of Sustainable Eating

🌱 Root - The Duolingo of Sustainable Eating

ROLE

UX/UI Designer

UX/UI Designer

Timeline

1.5 week

1.5 week

Team

2 designers

2 designers

Designing a wellness companion that grows with you - LITERALLY.

Designing a wellness companion that grows with you - LITERALLY.

The Problem We Couldn't Ignore

The Problem We Couldn't Ignore

“How do we eat in a way that supports our health and the planet — without burnout, guilt, or confusion?”

That was the question echoing in every interview, journal entry, and late-night research session. For many health-conscious eaters, especially those transitioning to plant-based diets, the intention is clear, but the path is murky. They’re navigating a forest of guilt, confusion, and decision fatigue.

Root was born from that tension and a vision:

What if eating sustainably felt more like nurturing a garden than checking off a chore list?

“How do we eat in a way that supports our health and the planet — without burnout, guilt, or confusion?”

That was the question echoing in every interview, journal entry, and late-night research session. For many health-conscious eaters, especially those transitioning to plant-based diets, the intention is clear, but the path is murky. They’re navigating a forest of guilt, confusion, and decision fatigue.

Root was born from that tension and a vision:

What if eating sustainably felt more like nurturing a garden than checking off a chore list?

🧩 Reframing a Wicked Problem


🧩 Reframing a Wicked Problem


We dug into secondary research, including a McKinsey 2023 report that revealed:


Nearly 50% of consumers struggle to balance health and sustainability in their diets — especially Gen Z and Millennials.



We dug into secondary research, including a McKinsey 2023 report that revealed:


Nearly 50% of consumers struggle to balance health and sustainability in their diets — especially Gen Z and Millennials.



43%

43%

43%

Adopting Sustainable Behaviours

77%

77%

77%

Concerned about Sustainability in Food choices

50%

50%

50%

Struggling to make both healthy and sustainable choices

So we reframed the challenge:


How might we help environmentally conscious eaters feel empowered, motivated, and informed — without adding to their mental load?

This insight sparked our core design question:


How might we help environmentally conscious eaters feel empowered, motivated, and informed — without adding to their mental load?



Empathy First: Listening to the Overwhelm

Empathy First: Listening to the Overwhelm

We started by sitting down with people like Lara, a 32-year-old vegan designer in Berlin, who told us:


“I want my food to nourish me and the planet, but it’s hard to stay motivated when it feels so complicated.”

We started by sitting down with people like Lara, a 32-year-old vegan designer in Berlin, who told us:


“I want my food to nourish me and the planet, but it’s hard to stay motivated when it feels so complicated.”

Through in-depth interviews with over a dozen people, we identified three recurring emotional pain points:


  • Cognitive overload from conflicting nutrition and sustainability advice

  • Guilt from “failing” to meet high ethical standards

  • Fatigue from repetitive meals and exhausting planning


This wasn't just about food. It was about identity, intention, and the quiet stress of trying to do the right thing — and still feel okay.

Through in-depth interviews with over a dozen people, we identified three recurring emotional pain points:


  • Cognitive overload from conflicting nutrition and sustainability advice

  • Guilt from “failing” to meet high ethical standards

  • Fatigue from repetitive meals and exhausting planning


This wasn't just about food. It was about identity, intention, and the quiet stress of trying to do the right thing — and still feel okay.

🎮 From Habit to Game: Making It Stick

🎮 From Habit to Game: Making It Stick

We explored 20+ solution ideas — from nutrition timelines to AI food bots. But one metaphor kept rising to the surface:


What if eating well felt more like playing a game than managing a spreadsheet?


That idea became the beating heart of Root:

  • 🍽️ Your meals feed your avatar — reflecting your nutrition

  • 🌿 Your choices grow your garden — visualizing sustainability

  • 🎯 You track, level up, and earn rewards — all without guilt



It’s playful. It’s visual. It’s emotionally validating.

We explored 20+ solution ideas — from nutrition timelines to AI food bots. But one metaphor kept rising to the surface:


What if eating well felt more like playing a game than managing a spreadsheet?


That idea became the beating heart of Root:

  • 🍽️ Your meals feed your avatar — reflecting your nutrition

  • 🌿 Your choices grow your garden — visualizing sustainability

  • 🎯 You track, level up, and earn rewards — all without guilt



It’s playful. It’s visual. It’s emotionally validating.

💡 MVP Breakdown: What Made the Cut

We prioritized features based on emotional impact and usability — not just functionality. (MoSCoW Analysis)



  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Badges: Rewards for consistency, not perfection

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    🌟 Nice-to-Haves

    • Weekly Challenges: Bite-sized missions for extra motivation

    • Mini-Games: Learn while you play

    • Product Info: Search or scan for sustainability insights

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    ⛔ Not Yet

    • Real-time scanning — we’re keeping input simple to start

    • Grocery delivery - delivery of healthy and sustainable products through online shop

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Badges: Rewards for consistency, not perfection

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    🌟 Nice-to-Haves

    • Weekly Challenges: Bite-sized missions for extra motivation

    • Mini-Games: Learn while you play

    • Product Info: Search or scan for sustainability insights

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    ⛔ Not Yet

    • Real-time scanning — we’re keeping input simple to start

    • Grocery delivery - delivery of healthy and sustainable products through online shop

💡 MVP Breakdown: What Made the Cut

We prioritized features based on emotional impact and usability — not just functionality. (MoSCoW Analysis)



  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Badges: Rewards for consistency, not perfection

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    🌟 Nice-to-Haves

    • Weekly Challenges: Bite-sized missions for extra motivation

    • Mini-Games: Learn while you play

    • Product Info: Search or scan for sustainability insights

  • ✅ Must-Haves

    • Avatar + Garden: Meals update your health and grow your sustainable space

    • Leaderboard: Track your carbon footprint with friendly competition

    • Grocery Sync: Auto-updates from delivery data

    • Nudges: Light daily tips to keep you motivated

    ⛔ Not Yet

    • Real-time scanning — we’re keeping input simple to start

    • Grocery delivery - delivery of healthy and sustainable products through online shop

✏️ Prototyping: Designing Emotional Wellness

✏️ Prototyping: Designing Emotional Wellness

Our mid-fi prototype focused on:

  • Visual meal logging — no calorie counting or tedious forms

  • Mood-based tips and wellness nudges

  • Weekly planning tools that felt doable

  • A gentle, gamified system that encouraged progress over perfection

Unlike traditional food trackers, Root wasn’t about control. It was about care.


Our mid-fi prototype focused on:

  • Visual meal logging — no calorie counting or tedious forms

  • Mood-based tips and wellness nudges

  • Weekly planning tools that felt doable

  • A gentle, gamified system that encouraged progress over perfection

Unlike traditional food trackers, Root wasn’t about control. It was about care.


🎯 Testing for Emotion, Not Just Usability

🎯 Testing for Emotion, Not Just Usability

We tested with 8 users — mostly women aged 20–40 who identified as vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian. The feedback confirmed our hunch:

❤️ “The avatar feels like a buddy, not a tracker.”

🌿 “I love seeing my choices grow something.”


🌀 “Finally, an app that doesn’t make me feel guilty when I slip.”

We tested with 8 users — mostly women aged 20–40 who identified as vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian. The feedback confirmed our hunch:

❤️ “The avatar feels like a buddy, not a tracker.”

🌿 “I love seeing my choices grow something.”


🌀 “Finally, an app that doesn’t make me feel guilty when I slip.”

This wasn’t just functional UX. It was felt UX. Emotional validation became one of our most powerful “features.”

🥕 MVP Statement

Root is a playful, interactive app that helps health-conscious vegans like Laura overcome nutritional doubts and eco-confusion by turning meal planning into a joyful, emotionally supportive experience.

Our MVP delivers:

  • 🧍 A nutrition avatar + 🌱 a sustainability garden

  • 🧾 Weekly feedback on meals and carbon footprint

  • 📅 Recipe planning with instant insights

  • 💬 Light social features like trivia and community gardens

🌱 Our Vision

We believe that small, joyful choices — repeated consistently — can lead to lasting change.
Root is more than an app. It’s a mirror, a guide, and a garden you grow with every bite.

We’re building the Duolingo of sustainable eating — one joyful meal at a time.


Get in touch with me

Nargiz Safaraiyeva © 2025.

Get in touch with me

Nargiz Safaraiyeva © 2025.

Moodboard: Root’s Visual Language

Moodboard: Root’s Visual Language

To keep our visual identity rooted (pun intended) in our mission, we created a moodboard that served as our compass:

To keep our visual identity rooted (pun intended) in our mission, we created a moodboard that served as our compass:


  • Green — Connecting users to nature

  • Playful — Encouraging joy and levity

  • Motivating — Inspiring small, meaningful actions

  • Healthy — Centering balance and well-being

  • Joyful — Celebrating everyday wins


  • Green — Connecting users to nature

  • Playful — Encouraging joy and levity

  • Motivating — Inspiring small, meaningful actions

  • Healthy — Centering balance and well-being

  • Joyful — Celebrating everyday wins

This moodboard guided our UI, tone, and even microinteractions. Everything had to feel warm, welcoming, and alive.

This moodboard guided our UI, tone, and even microinteractions. Everything had to feel warm, welcoming, and alive.

This moodboard guided our UI, tone, and even microinteractions. Everything had to feel warm, welcoming, and alive.

🥕 MVP Statement

Root is a playful, interactive app that helps health-conscious vegans like Laura overcome nutritional doubts and eco-confusion by turning meal planning into a joyful, emotionally supportive experience.

Our MVP delivers:

  • 🧍 A nutrition avatar + 🌱 a sustainability garden

  • 🧾 Weekly feedback on meals and carbon footprint

  • 📅 Recipe planning with instant insights

  • 💬 Light social features like trivia and community gardens

🌱 Our Vision

We believe that small, joyful choices — repeated consistently — can lead to lasting change.
Root is more than an app. It’s a mirror, a guide, and a garden you grow with every bite.

We’re building the Duolingo of sustainable eating — one joyful meal at a time.


Get in touch with me

Nargiz Safaraiyeva © 2025.

Get in touch with me

Nargiz Safaraiyeva © 2025.